Is The Battle Worth The Fight?

In movies, the protagonist often finds himself jumping out of a plane only to discover that his parachute doesn't open. Lo and behold, the hero still finds a way to land safely. In business, not only are senior executives sure that the chute will open, but oftentimes, they even know the color that it will be: golden. Rarely does the seasoned executive need to fight a battle to determine the color of the parachute.

In the early stages of your career though, it's unlikely that your chute will be golden — it may not even open in the first place. In other words, brace yourself for battle in order to ensure a safe landing.

consider the context

Throughout your career, you will be handed numerous mandates with a set of responsibilities, duties and chores. Consider that the "demand" side. On the "supply" side, you will also be allocated a budget and given some decision-making power parameters required to execute your mandate.

Your goal should be very simple: get the job done using as little resources as possible. Resources entail money, time, materials, and people. Imagine now that someone is not helping you reach these goals in the most efficient manner possible. What do you do?

is it personal?

If the conflict stems from your personalities clashing, then you can extend an olive branch once, twice, even three times. But if nothing you do or say will make a difference, then maybe you need to use that branch in a different way. If you say black and they say white or vice versa, maybe it is just a matter of perspective. But what if you say gray, and they ask whether you're colorblind? What then? Do you take that branch and whip them? Of course not, violence solves nothing.

The key here is to understand that people are different; not everyone has tact, not everyone is fair, and not everyone is as professional as they should be (including yourself). Instead of walking on eggshells and dodging bullets, cut the excessive efforts for reconciliation and do your job. Do it well. Set an example. Trust me, you can try all you want to make friends with stubborn souls, at the end of the day, it only wastes your time and aggravates you.

The upside to doing your job splendidly is that the powers that be will understand that at the end of the day, you contribute to the business while they hinder it. You wish to enrich the group while they seek to play politics. If your boss does not see this and falls prey to your nemesis' ploy, then that says more about your work environment than anything else.

...or just business?

Sometimes, your colleague and best friend may have an issue with your recommendations. What then? This is actually a mixed blessing. Usually, the issue is not personal and the matter can be resolved by laying the facts and figures on the table. It's okay to ask yourself, "What's in it for them?" But in the end, excessive paranoia is unwarranted. Your peers have a job to do and they are likely looking toward the greater good of the company, so the trick is ensuring that you don't let things get personal. But human beings are fallible by nature so it is possible for things to get messy; be the better, more mature man and try not to sling mud.